The Latest in the manslaughter trial of a Minnesota police officer who fatally shot a black motorist during a traffic stop (all times local) :
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Latest in the manslaughter trial of a Minnesota police officer who fatally shot a black motorist during a traffic stop (all times local) : 5: 25 p.m. The prosecutor who brought charges against a Minnesota police officer over the shooting death of a black motorist is urging acceptance of the officer’s acquittal of manslaughter. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi says he knows Friday’s acquittal of Officer Jeronimo Yanez will be painful for many people. But Choi says the verdict « must be respected » because it’s a product of the rule of law. A jury deliberated five days before clearing Yanez on Friday in the death of 32-year-old Philando Castile. Castile was shot just a few seconds after he informed Yanez during a traffic stop that he was carrying a handgun. Choi says Yanez « made a horrible mistake from our perspective. » He says he knows Yanez would take back what happened if he could. He urged any protests over the verdict to be peaceful. ___ 5: 10 p.m. The girlfriend of a black man who was shot and killed by a Minnesota police officer last July says she’s disappointed with the jury’s verdict to acquit the officer. Officer Jeronimo Yanez was found not guilty Friday of three counts stemming from the shooting of Philando Castile. Yanez, who is Latino, shot Castile seconds after Castile said he was armed. The shooting’s aftermath was streamed live on Facebook by Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds. Reynolds issued a statement Friday saying that Castile was racially profiled and was obeying Yanez’s instructions and was reaching for his wallet when he was shot. She says it’s sad that this type of behavior is condoned because Yanez is a police officer. She ended her statement by saying: « God help America. » ___ 5 p.m. Community activists and supporters of the family of a black man who was killed by a Minnesota police officer last July are planning to hold a rally at the state Capitol. Officer Jeronimo Yanez, who is Latino, was aquitted Friday on all counts stemming from the shooting of 32-year-old Philando Castile. Castile was killed during a traffic stop moments after he told Yanez he was armed. He had a permit to carry. After the verdict, Mel Reeves, one of the rally organizers, said the event would be peaceful, but people need to start questioning the system and the verdict adds insult to injury. He says: « What kind of system do we live in that we can’t get justice? » Reeves said Castile is dead because he was racially profiled. He said he believed Yanez lied about seeing Castile’s gun. ___ 4: 10 p.m. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is offering condolences to the family of a black motorist who was killed by a police officer last year after the officer was acquitted of manslaughter. A jury deliberated five days before acquitting Officer Jeronimo Yanez in the death of 32-year-old Philando Castile. Yanez shot Castile five times seconds after Castile informed him during a traffic stop that he was carrying a handgun. Dayton called Castile’s death « a terrible tragedy. » His statement made no mention of Yanez, but noted that « thousands » of police officers are « working to correct the injustices in our state. » Dayton drew criticism last year after suggesting that Castile might not have been shot if he was white. ___ 4 p.m. A Minnesota city says it will dismiss a police officer even though he was cleared of all charges in the fatal shooting of a black motorist. The city of St. Anthony says it concluded the public « will be best served » if Officer Jeronimo (yeh-RON’-ih-moh) Yanez no longer works for the city. The statement says the city plans to offer Yanez a « voluntary separation » so he can find another job. The city says Yanez will not return to active duty. A jury deliberated five days before clearing Yanez of all charges in the death of 32-year-old Philando Castile. Castile was shot seconds after telling Yanez during a traffic stop that he was carrying a gun. Yanez testified that Castile ignored his commands not to pull out the gun and he feared for his life. ___ 3: 50 p.m. A member of the jury that acquitted a Minnesota police officer of manslaughter in the shooting of a black motorist called deliberations « very, very hard » and says he thinks the panel delivered the right verdict. Dennis Ploussard says the jury was split 10-2 early this week in favor of acquittal for Officer Jeronimo Yanez, who was charged in the death of 32-year-old Philando Castile. Ploussard says jurors spent a lot of time dissecting the « culpable negligence » requirement for conviction. He says the last two holdouts eventually agreed on acquittal. Ploussard wouldn’t identify the two holdouts, but says they were not the jury’s only two black members. Ploussard declined to say whether he thought Yanez acted appropriately. He says the jury sympathizes with the Castile family. ___ 3: 30 p.m. The mother of a Minnesota motorist who was shot dead by a police officer last July says the officer got away with « murder. » Valerie Castile spoke angrily after a jury acquitted Officer Jeronimo Yanez of manslaughter in the death of her son Philando. He was shot five times seconds after he informed Yanez during a traffic stop that he was carrying a gun. Yanez testified that Castile ignored his commands not to pull out the gun and he feared for his life. Valerie Castile called her son’s death murder. She pointed out her son was wearing a seatbelt and had his girlfriend and her daughter in the car. She says she’s « very disappointed in the system here in the state of Minnesota. » The jury deliberated five days before reaching its verdict. ___ 3: 20 p.m. An attorney for the Minnesota police officer acquitted of manslaughter in the shooting death of a black motorist says the defense team is satisfied with the verdict. Tom Kelly was among attorneys representing Officer Jeronimo Yanez. A jury in St. Paul cleared Yanez of all charges in the death last July of 32-year-old Philando Castile. Kelly says the team was confident in their case and in Yanez, and felt his conduct was justified. He says that « doesn’t take away from the tragedy of the event. » Yanez shot Castile five times during a traffic stop last July in a St. Paul suburb, seconds after Castile informed him he was carrying a gun. ___ 3: 05 p.m. Family members of a black motorist shot dead by a Minnesota police officer last year reacted angrily to the officer being found innocent of manslaughter. Officer Jeronimo Yanez was cleared of that charge and two lesser ones Friday in the death of 32-year-old Philando Castile. Yanez shot Castile five times during a traffic stop last July in a St. Paul suburb, seconds after Castile informed him he was carrying a gun. Castile’s mother, Valerie, stood and swore when the jury’s verdict was read in St. Paul. His sister and others sobbed loudly. Family members immediately tried to leave the courtroom, and did so after security officers briefly barred their way. ___ 3 p.m. A Minnesota police officer has been acquitted of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a black motorist. Jeronimo (yeh-RON’-ih-moh) Yanez was also cleared Friday of two lesser charges in the July traffic stop in a St. Paul suburb. Yanez shot Philando Castile five times just seconds after Castile informed him he was carrying a gun. Yanez testified that Castile was pulling his gun out of his pocket despite his commands not to do so. The defense also argued Castile was high on marijuana and said that affected his actions.
